


Fit For a King

by TortiTabby



Series: Ebony Crest [2]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Domestic, Forbidden Love, Happy Ending, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Minor Injuries, Renaissance Era, bastard dan, knight phil, medieval battles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-18 18:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16522106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortiTabby/pseuds/TortiTabby
Summary: The second part of the Ebony Crest seriesDaniel is the Bastard of a King & ex-Knight Philip is his love he's trying to make a life with





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend reading the first part: [Shining Armor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16378790) if you haven't but this can read alone as well!  
>   
> Thank you to @philsroots for betaing this for me <3  
> I'm really excited for this

Daniel was more content with life than he ever had been before. It was nearing a year since he ran off with Philip and their little farm and life away from everyone else was thriving.

They had travelled nearly the whole length of the country to find the small stone cottage, tucked away in the corner at the edge of the forest. 

On the way they had stopped at Philip’s mother’s home to rest and she had refused to let them carry on until they allowed her to fill their pockets with as much coin as she could spare. 

It was enough to get them started and after earning the trust of their neighbors a half a day’s ride away at the nearest village they found a community they could loosely be a part of while still enjoying their very private, fairly forbidden life.

They weren’t too badly off, for the time their country was in. Battles with Knights and stories of Kings and Queens were growing less and less common as the years went on. It was a time of change and along with the fresh air of freedom Daniel welcomed it.

“Susanna filled nearly a whole pale of milk this morning!” Philip exclaimed as he came bursting through their front door, swinging a metal bucket precariously and donning a crooked smile that was saved only for Daniel. 

Daniel felt a rush of warmth through his chest but just rolled his eyes with a smile.

“I told you if you name the cow Susanna, you aren’t calling the sheep or any of the chickens Susanna.” He scolded.

Philip laughed with his tongue slid between his teeth.

“You love me for name creating abilities.” he laughed and set the milk on the table so both of his hands were free to slip into the back pockets of Daniel’s trousers. “Besides didn’t you name all of the chickens?”

Daniel scoffed.

“I named some of them only because you didn’t want me to name the sheep.” 

“You wanted to name it Ymbert, Daniel, I was saving that poor sheep’s life. Can you imagine the teasing?” 

“I don’t think Berta the sheep or Ida the chicken would have given her a hard time,  _ Philip _ , besides Ymbert is a fine name. I think I may even have an uncle by that name.”

“If you had I’d know as well as you and I have never heard of the atrocious name before it left your mouth.”

Daniel laughed and tried to ignore the faint sting of being reminded of where he’d come from. It hadn’t been easy being the unwanted Bastard of the King that everyone looked down at in disgust. It hadn’t been easy deciding to leave with Philip and abandoning his entire life there, either. Now they were miles and miles away from his father’s land and were tucked away in the woods in secret as far North as they could be.

Philip leaned in and kissed Daniel with a chaste quick kiss, just enough to pull him back to the present. 

“If we get that goat we were looking at the other day you can name it Ymbert.” He said softly.

 

Philip had given up quite a lot to run off with Daniel. He had been a Knight for Daniel’s father and by abandoning his country he committed an unforgivable crime, let alone abandoning it to play house with the King’s Bastard son. Daniel knew it wasn’t how Philip saw it but it didn’t change the fact that he gave up far more than Daniel could begin to understand. 

“Let’s go out to the garden.” Philip said in the most gentle voice. Daniel knew that Philip could read him like a book but he appreciated the act and the reservation to push.

They spent the good part of the morning covering themselves in dirt working in the yard. 

Daniel fixed up the fence around the coop that was keeping foxes out just fine but still fixed it up best he could and even added  _ another  _ to ease Philip’s mind. 

Sweat dripped down his curls and down his nose. It was hard work, the life they had now but it felt right. The ache in his muscles at night were rewarding even before Philip worked them out of knots and sent magic out of his fingertips. He’d never allowed himself to think of a life where he could go to bed and wake up in the arms of the man he loved, warm in a shamble of a cottage that he was lucky enough to call their home.  He wiped his brow and didn’t fight the small smile that spread across his face as he listened to Philip give a stern lecture to the vegetables.

“Let’s go in.” He called out. 

They made their way back to the house to the sound of a soft breeze rustling the leaves of the tall trees shadowing their property and the quiet murmuring of their animals.

Daniel was in the midst of arguing that they didn’t need a dog to guard the chickens, for the last time there weren’t any foxes so far and he had made damn sure there wouldn’t be in the future when he reached the back door. Philip made a distressed noise and flailed his arms in front of Daniel’s face.

“You are  _ caked  _ in mud. We are not tracking this through the house. Strip.”

Daniel laughed but obliged. To be fair, stripping down to the nude with Philip was never much of a chore.

Philip stole a glance at the look on Daniel’s face and put on a facade of being unaffected, but Daniel could see the trace of a smirk. 

“You know-”  
“Oh just get inside and run the bath.” Philip leant over and kissed Daniel square on the mouth. Daniel smiled into it and hurried inside.

“This is the life.” Philip groaned as he sighed into the warm water surrounding him. Daniel scrubbed diligently at Philip’s back and hummed in agreement. Getting a bath built inside of their home had been quite the struggle the first few months they lived here, but the luxury was worth it for moments like these.

“Did you want your turn?” 

“No. I’m happy here.” Daniel said lowly in Philip’s ear. He washed behind it and reveled in the peace his partner was emitting. He could wash up later, he didn’t mind a bit of colder water like Philip did.

“I had another dream.” Philip said after several minutes of silence.

Daniel frowned at the troubled tone. He usually rather egotistically enjoyed hearing about the strange dreams Philip would have on occasion ever since they fled. Philip was adamant at how beautiful Daniel was with the large black feathered wings from his back but Daniel couldn’t get past the irony of being depicted as anything resembling anything angelic. 

“Did I not let you stroke them this time?” Daniel teased, hoping to ease the tension that found a home in the shoulders he had just finished relaxing.

“One of-” Philip cleared his throat, though it did nothing to hide the tremor in his voice. “One of your wings was broken. A severe break, there were feathers and blood and you were in so much pain- and you were wearing the crown again and-”

“Hush.” Daniel laced his arms around Philip’s chest and toyed with the hair he found there. “I’ve got no wings. It was just a dream and I’m fine.” He omitted any comment on the crown. It was a prospect he’d never be comfortable with, and a life he didn’t like to revisit.

“It felt so real.” Philip whispered. He grabbed Daniel’s hands and rubbed them gently before quickly turning to face him, effectively splashing water all over the floor. 

“What do you think it means?” He asked Daniel, who had a hard time stifling his irritation. Philip was convinced his dreams meant something, that his grandmother on his mother’s side was psychic and he  _ must  _ have it in his blood as well. It was the kind of nonsense somebody who was once a Knight shouldn’t blabber on about, but he supposes shagging blokes probably fits into that category as well. He sighs. 

“Philip,  _ Love _ .”

Philip’s eyes narrowed before he climbed out of the bath. 

“You think it means nothing. This isn’t the first time this has happened. I had the first dream the day we left, but you still don’t think they mean anything.” 

“You urged me to leave after having that dream. I just think it influenced -”

“Just wash up before the water gets cold. I’ll start on dinner.” Philip’s voice was resigned. It was an old and tired argument that neither had the desire to start up again. Daniel hurried to wrap his naked partner in his arms. 

“If you make me be caked in mud I will use up the rest of that warm water before you get a chance!” Philip squealed but there was a laugh echoed in his voice.

“I just don’t want you to worry so much.” Daniel whispered in his ear before giving Philip’s naked bottom a cheeky squeeze.

He made a quick job of washing up and sat arm in arm with Philip, both of them full of vegetable stew picked fresh from their own garden. It had been the perfect day and Daniel’s skin was still warm from the sun against Philip’s. 

Philip turned to Daniel and opened his mouth but whatever he had planned on saying was drowned out by pandemonium breaking out from their garden.

Daniel rushed to his feet and ran out the back door, faintly noting the fire poker clutched in Philip’s hand. His years of being a Knight ingrained in him to be prepared for a battle.

The rocks and pebbles dug into the soles of Daniel’s bare feet as he darted into the darkness of the yard. He stopped cold at the sight in front of him. Philip halted at his side. The fire poker fell to the ground with a clamor. 

The path was splattered crimson with blood and black feathers littered across the way. 

Daniel saw the red culprit darting through the fencing and leaving the scene of the crime. He frowned. The chickens had been  _ fine  _ for so long and the day he added more protection for them… 

He chanced a glimpse at Philip’s stern expression that was somehow even more pale than usual. He knew what Philip would say and he couldn’t stand to hear it. Not until he stopped his hands from shaking so badly. Philip hadn’t looked up from the blood and feather’s yet.

“Love. I’m sorry I-”

“Ida.” He said grimly. Daniel’s heart sank. 

How did this man who had experienced the most brutal, bloody job have such a big heart with such an unlimited amount of love for the world around it? 

He just laced Philip’s fingers in his own and squeezed.

“Hello?” A voice called from the front of their property. 

They spun around to see a lone man standing at his horse waving them over.

“It’s late. I am not sure how we can assist you.” Daniel said cautiously once they reached him. The hair on his neck stood straight up. People didn’t just show up in this area. That man was there with a purpose. He noticed the poker had reappeared in Philip’s grip. 

“I don’t mean to alarm you. I need to speak with you, Lord Howell.” 

Daniel’s skin crawled. They weren’t supposed to find him. They weren’t supposed to look.

“Listen, Sir, I’m sorry to tell you but you’ve got the wrong-”

“Your brothers.” The man interrupted. 

Daniel tensed, thrown off guard.

“I’m sorry, my Lord, they’ve- there was an ambush, a traitor in the castle, they’re caught and hung now but they-”

“They what? Tell me.” Daniel interrupted. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. He prayed for a different answer than the one he knew he was about to get.

“They've died. I’m so sorry. The traitor was unable to get to your father- the King is well but you’re-” He took a breath and straightened his back. “ _ Prince _ Daniel. You’re the heir. There’s nobody else. You’re required to return home at once, and are at grave danger here.”

 


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Philip helps Daniel with a tough decision

The man provided a letter, sealed in with the family crest and undoubtedly from the King himself. Daniel read it over and stood in shocked silence.  Philip thought about discarding the fire poker but wasn’t sure if he trusted the stranger or not, yet. He had been trained to not let his guard down and he wasn’t about to start doing so now.

“I can’t- I can’t just leave here.” Daniel said finally. 

Philip watched the man take a deep, calming breath and try desperately to come up with a way to tame the stubborn Bastard son he had no doubt been warned about. 

“I won’t.” Daniel added after a minute in an angrier, more confident tone. 

“Lov-  _ Daniel _ ” Philip gulped and glanced at the man who was staring at the two of them too closely. Their relationship had to have been in the briefing but it still made Philip uneasy. “Daniel if you’re the only heir then you have a huge target on your back. People will be traveling to look for you. To kill you. You also aren’t the kind of person to let people down, no matter how much they don’t deserve you.” He paused. "It's your decision." He didn't add the last part of his thought. The _but I know you_

“Our life here.” Daniel whispered. “We can never have it if we go back. What about Ymbert?” 

Philip saw the man step back and look pointedly at his feet. He felt a rush of appreciation towards the stranger.

Philip smiled sadly and shook his head. “But someday you’ll be  _ King _ . You can name as many things Ymbert as you’d like.”

“It won’t be the same. I just wanted this one nice thing. We were doing so well here.” Daniel sighed, and Philip knew he realized how petulant he sounded. “Fine. Let’s go. Um,-” He glanced at the stranger.

“John, Sir, but you can call me Ymbert if you’d like.” 

Daniel cracked a relieved smile. “I’d like that.” 

“We should probably leave as soon as we can, my Lord. The politics of the matter have already been gossiped about and your father fears people might know the general area of where you are.” 

Daniel went to argue at how ludicrous that was before he fell short, surely coming to the same conclusion Philip had. If John and the King’s men could find them, others could too.

“We’ll have to leave a message to someone in the village to take care of the animals.” Daniel said matter-of-factly. He met Philip’s eyes and offered a small smile. Philip tried to ignore the guilt eating away at him and glanced at John who was staring back at Philip with a knowing look.

“We’ll sort it out. We should prepare to  leave now.” 

 

They left  hurried to gather just the essentials and stood in the threshold of their short lived dream home together. John waited patiently outside and Philip took the opportunity to take Daniel in a dramatic sweeping kiss while he could. Their freedom died with that damned chicken. 

Daniel, who often mocked Philip for any sort of grand romantic guesstures buried his face in Philip’s neck. “I just want to stay here. I don’t want things to be how they were before we left with all of the sneaking and secrets. I know that’s not possible…” He trailed off.

Philip sighed and reveled in the comfort of Daniel’s arms. He knew it was the calm before the storm, and knew too well the outrage that was about to erupt from his hot-headed partner.

“Love, hey, I have something to tell you and you’re not going to like it.”

Daniel stepped back and squeezed Philip’s forearms. Daniel’s eyebrows pinched together as he searched Philip’s face. 

He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but Philip just shook his head.

“Knights can't come and go as they please. I know you know this. There's no way I'm returning with you.”

“I can't do this without you. I-I don't even know if I can do this anyway. There has to be a way-”

“Daniel I'm sure the King isn’t fond of me and I would damage your reputation. You’re not just you anymore. You represent all of us. I love you.”

“I can’t.” Daniel whispered again. Philip could see the fear in his eyes and knew he was the only one in that wretched Kingdom that ever gave Daniel the time of day. He was the only one who ever even really saw Daniel as more than the King’s Bastard. He was the only one who ever saw him as another person. No one else, his father included, ever tried to see Daniel at all.

“I don’t  _ want  _ to stay behind. I can try to go in hiding nearby and see you when I can but it won't be enough. They’ll be watching you so closely.” He ran the back of his hand down the side of Daniel’s face. “I’ll do that for you though.”

“I can’t ask you to do that. I would never be able to sleep or get anything done fearing they caught you and I didn’t know yet.” Daniel muttered before pulling away. “I’ll just leave then.”

Philip had been hoping they wouldn’t end on this part. The part where Daniel leaves when he’s angry. He’s done listening to Philip’s excuses. Daniel’s blood ran hot and when he decided he was upset about something it was near impossible to talk him out of it. You just had to wait for him to cool off and that took time that they didn’t have. 

“I love you.” Philip repeated. Insisted.

Daniel shook his head furiously but Philip saw the shine of tears. 

“I’ll keep the animals taken care of, Love.” 

Daniel growled in response before he spun around, grabbed Philip by his collar and heaved him closer to swallow up Philip’s lips in the wettest, saddest kiss that cut Philip all the way down to the bone. He stumbled backwards when Daniel let go. Philp felt totally defenseless as he watched Daniel stomp to where the things they packed were set by the front door. He had to let him go now or he would never be able to.

Daniel looked around the room at the shack they had turned into a home together. His bloodshot eyes landed on Philip. He grimaced before ducking out of the door. The loud slam echoed through the house full of knick-knacks and other things they filled it with, that had never felt so empty.

 

Philip stood in the shell of a home until he could no longer stand it and hurried out the back door. He took a deep breath of the fresh air and tried to use the scent of dew on the leaves of their garden to mend his heart. 

The very least he could do right now was to repair the chicken coop and take care of the hens that they-that he, had left. 

Maybe he’d bring the last two inside every night. Daniel wouldn’t be there to stop him this time, afterall. 

He sighed as he reached the scene of the crime and tried not to think of his dream of blood and black feathers, not unlike the ones decorating the path. 

The blood and feathers, the broken wing all disturbed him, but it was the image of an unhappy Daniel with a crown placed on his curls that twisted Philip’s stomach in an uncomfortable foreboding way. 

The sound of a distressed horse and shouting carried through the wind of the night and stopped Philip in his tracks.

Something was wrong. He could feel it. As much as Daniel liked to mock his dreams and strange feelings he got about things, they had never been wrong yet.

Philip took off running in the direction of the commotion, his heart pounding as his cruel mind provided him with the worst case scenario.

He should have stayed with Daniel. He should have at the very least escorted them all the way back to his father’s door safe and sound where he’d be in the hands of other Knight’s Philip knew and trusted and not with some stranger.

He shook his head as he leapt over the fence he and Daniel had built together. He was fine. He’d get there in time.

He hopped onto Aldo and was a good distance away from their home before he realized he didn’t even have a weapon.They weaved through the trees, cutting a shortcut off of the winding dirt path. 

They breached through the trees into a clearing where John was in the midst of a brawl with a man who looked too well off to be just a common thief. It was clear from the second Philip reached the scene that John didn’t know how to fight, not really, not more than Daniel did. Not enough to be the sole protection of the future King. Irritation for his King stormed the door he usually kept it behind. Not appreciating Daniel or treating him like a real son was something Philip never understood but he bit his tongue and was committed to his duty to the King. He could still appreciate the man as his leader. Now he’s put his son’s life at stake ushering him back to the castle when he didn’t even provide a proper guard for him.

 A second man was moving in behind Daniel who was obliviously watching the fight play out in front of him, drawing Philip out of his thoughts.

He rode in between Dan and the new threat and hopped off of Aldo, who gladly galloped out of the way. 

“Philip!” Daniel shouted and tossed a sword his way. Pride surged through Philip, who had taught Daniel exactly how to do that just a few months prior. He just knew the very basics so far and today Philip was just glad it was that much.

He caught it with ease and turned to the man who had his sword drawn and was slicing it through the air towards Philip already . 

He dodged it and began sparring the man who had just been surely attempting to murder Daniel. It only fueled Philip more to battle against the man and in no time his opponent’s weapon went flying. Philip never enjoyed being a Knight but he couldn’t deny how right it felt to have a sword back in his hand. It was like a second nature, or extension of himself.

“I can’t fight this one off!” John yelled out over the noise of steel on steel. Philip turned to assess the situation when he felt the cold blade of a sword slice through his shoulder and be pushed all of the way through. 

In a delirious moment before reality set in Philip couldn’t help but think that these men were really not very well trained. That must mean there’s a bounty on Daniel’s head - if amateurs, lucky amateurs as they may be, are out and willing to draw blood.

He spun around to face the man just in time to see a frantic, wide eyed Daniel knock the man over the head with a rock, rendering him unconscious. 

He ran to Philip and promptly took the sword and ran to where John was struggling.

“Fuck off!” He yelled, holding the sword high over his head in a way Philip had told him not to countless times.

The man took one look of Daniel and John to each side of him before glancing at Philip who just arched an eyebrow.

_ “Weigh your options wisely.” _ It said.

The man dropped his weapon before bolting away from the two of them. John gave him a bit of a chase but fell back when a distressed Daniel started chastising Philip, clearly near hysterics.

“You’re bleeding everywhere. Philip! I don’t know what to do. I forgot all of your training. I was so awful before I left. I’m such a child. I-”  
“Daniel, breathe.” Philip said in what he hoped to be a soothing voice. “Are you okay?”

Daniel rolled his eyes and frowned at Philip. “Will you worry about yourself for once?”

“May I take a look my lor-”

“Please just call me Daniel.” Daniel sighed before he stepped aside to gaze over John’s shoulder. Philip could see the shine in his eyes but didn’t comment.

“We need to take him in somewhere to find somebody to patch him up.” He muttered, looking over Philip’s wound.

“How does it look, Ymbert?” Philip asked.

Daniel let out a wet laugh and shook his head, forcefully looking everywhere besides Philip and the blood staining his shirt.

“I bandaged it up the best that I could. He won’t keep bleeding, but he’ll need stitched up but I don’t see why it wouldn’t heal up alright.” 

“We’re not leaving him behind.” Daniel said sternly after a few moments. It wasn’t a question.

John stood to his feet and grasped Daniel firmly by the shoulder. 

“This man just saved both of our lives. We can both speak to the King when we arrive. You’re entitled to your demands after being ripped away from the best thing you had going for you, no thanks to him. I hope you won’t repeat all of this, my Lord- erm, Daniel. I just saw how your life was before.You will have pull when we get there with your father, we will just have to make sure you know how to use it.”

Daniel stood shocked into silence by the sudden outburst. Philip couldn’t read the expression on his face,Daniel was good at throwing up a wall when he felt vulnerable or exposed,  but he knew how unseen Daniel had been before they left. It meant a lot to be seen.

“I don’t have the things to stitch him, we’ll have to go to that village you were talking about.”

“We’ll talk to someone about taking the Susanna’s.” Philip added and placed a shaking hand on Daniel’s thigh and squeezed.  

Daniel looked at the two of them and then nodded curtly as he climbed to his feet. 

The orange sun was starting to set as Philip laid his head back into the wet, green field. He stared up at Daniel who was by no means a short man. In this light, and delirium from some blood loss, he’d never looked more like a King. 

His legs stretched on endlessly to his long torso that was splattered with dirt and blood. He had an arm on each hip and was glaring into the distance. There was an edge to him that hadn’t been there that morning. The lighter brown in his curls popped in the setting sun and he looked almost ethereal.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the word war chats!  
>   
> Please ignore any historical inaccuracies. There's a reason I didn't narrow down a specific timeline! lol  
> Come and chat with me on my tumblr  
> Read it & reblog it on tumblr if you'd like Here

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and let me know what you think/and or reblog on tumblr!  
> tortitabby.tumblr.com  
>   
> Or If you'd like to reblog:  
> [Tumblr Link](https://tortitabby.tumblr.com/post/179792767160/fit-for-a-king)  
> thanks to the word war chats as always for making me actually be productive!  
> This is going to be a series, as you could probably guess! No scheduled posting at the moment. It's going to be a learn as I go kind of thing so bare with me but hang in there I won't ever make you wait too long ;)


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